


The Johto Princess

by hanamits



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Other, Valerie is one tough person, dont judge me, headcanons, lol i am noob at writing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-25
Updated: 2015-06-17
Packaged: 2018-04-01 04:22:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4005712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanamits/pseuds/hanamits
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Valerie, one of the Kimono Girls, struggles in life ever since her Eevee doesn't seem to evolve to any kind. Her sister judges her, which leads her to the escape she has always wanted. She knows she can't let her sister judge her just like that and she can't just stay imprisoned. So she wants to show her sisters her potential, which ended up giving a new type to the Pokedex.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mutant Eevee

**Author's Note:**

> hello! So, actually I wrote this fic because I was inspired by a headcanon. It's such a shame because I have lost the link for the headcanon, so I just write this in the notes in case the one who wrote the headcanon accidentally stumbled upon this fic lol. Because their headcanon was good, so I decided to improve it to a story and post it here. One thing to remember, I am still a novice lol so I might make a few mistakes here and there. Your comments will be the best help for me to improve myself. Thank you very much!

“Valerie, quit drawing those clothes and tie your hair neatly. We are going to practice.” Zuki, one of Valerie’s sisters, commanded at her. The long black silky haired girl who was called Valerie just then quickly closed the book she was reading and placed them on the table before taking her hair tie.

The Kimono Girls, that’s how Valerie and her sisters are called. Wait, it’s more like **her sisters**. Valerie is like a needle in straws. She is the different one. While all of her sisters are calm, graceful and endearing, Valerie is more of an introvert. She likes to let her hair down and stay alone, because it feels more comfortable. She also likes making new designs of clothes. Sometimes she would even ditch dancing practice and play with her Eevee.

Every Kimono Girls have their own Eevee and all of them have already evolved. Valerie’s Eevee is the only one left that’s unevolved. Most of her sisters despise her, because Valerie seemed to be incapable of evolving her own.

The fact is, Valerie doesn’t want her Eevee to evolve to the same kind as one of her sisters. That’s the reason why she never let any stones touch her Eevee. If in the end her Pokémon evolve to Espeon or Umbreon, it can’t be helped. But she still has that hope to have her own kind of Eevee.

After tying her hair, Valerie prepared herself and started using the kimono. While getting the traditional clothes on, she stared at herself at the mirror. She is very different from her sisters. They all are very pretty. While her… her face is weird, different from the others. There’s nothing natural in it.

Her eyes are very big, compared to her sisters’s, and she is also way skinnier than her sisters. Up until this point, she still wishes that she is so skinny due to herself being the last kid.

“Valerie, are you done?” Zuki's voice came from outside. “I-I’m done.” Valerie stuttered, and quickly fixed herself. She doesn’t need to put on make-up, because she isn’t performing. It's just a practice.

The black haired girl went out of the room, heading for the room where the Kimono Girls usually hold their training. Her eyes noticed her Eevee walking beside her, apparently also wants to go to the practice room. She smiled fondly at the Pokémon.

“Vui, are you also going there?” she asked softly. The girl stopped walking and then squatted just to patted at the little Pokémon. The Eevee jumped happily in response to her actions. The Pokémon ran around Valerie's feet and then nuzzled them. The girl only giggled, then continued to stroke her Eevee's fur.

Suddenly, the Eevee’s body started shaking. Valerie stared at her Vui in shock, as it trembled. There is something happening to it. And then, a word passed her mind. “Vui, don’t tell me… are you..” she sucked her breath. “Evolving?!”

The Eevee only let out its characteristic sound, before some lights started to bathe the Pokémon, covering it entirely from Valerie. The girl only whispered hopefully, “please don’t let it be Espeon or Umbreon. I believe there is another form. Please, I didn’t even let it touch any stone..”

When Valerie opened her eyes, the creature before her is totally different from her Vui. Well, it shares some common characteristic, like the body – but this one is more slender and.. cute?

Valerie still can’t believe the thing she saw. But she can't be dreaming right now. Her Eevee really didn’t evolve into one of her sisters’s, but it evolved into a far different kind that Valerie have never thought of. Valerie is sure that she has never seen this kind of Eevee as well.

Her Pokémon’s fur changed color, from chocolate to white-pink. When her Eevee used to have fur around her neck, now it has a really pretty bow with the same colour as its fur. Around its left ear is a white-pink bow, but the end of the bow has the color of pink, dark blue, and light blue.

“Vui.. what did you change into?” Valerie asked in surprise. Her Pokémon only growled at her, letting out different voice than it used to have. Some words appeared in her head. “I bet that was a move. It’s.. Disarming Voice.”

The Pokémon jumped happily, as if its trainer has just guessed something correctly. “Syl!”

Valerie smiled. “I don’t know what your name is, but I shall still call you Vui.” She declared. The girl felt so happy, that she didn't realize the pain that has started to nest in her feet. Yes, she has been squatting.

“Valerie. What’s taking you so long?”

Valerie turned around to see Miki and Zuki, standing behind her with the look of impatience. Although so, it’s obvious that the two females are trying to hide it and look calm.

“My Eevee just evolved!” Valerie said happily. Miki raised her eyebrow and cocked her head, to see the Pokémon behind Valerie that's leaning into her right leg.

Zuki let out a long breath. “So it finally evolved, huh?” her tone wasn't a pleasant one. “What do you think it is? I have never seen that kind of Eevee. It’s so weird. Doesn’t look like a fighter Pokémon at all. Way too cute and full of pink. What have you done to your Eevee?”

“It’s a freaking mutant Eevee.” Miki commented with annoying tone, and then grinned. Valerie grimaced at the opinion her sister just said. It’s the thing she doesn’t really like from her sisters. Despite looking very collected and perfect, they are actually foul-mouthed sometimes and criticizes a lot.

But this time, Valerie didn’t look down after being criticized. “You guys are just jealous.” She talked back at her sisters. “Or maybe creeped out because you have never seen this kind. I believe my Eevee is the best out of all, and this fact is not gonna change.”

Miki folded her arms across her chest. “What’s with that statement? Of course ours are still better with yours. You may even have done something with it, stating it evolved and is the best out of all, while you still can’t prove it. Do you even know the moveset? Its stats?” the corners of Miki’s lips curled when she saw that her words have successfully silenced Valerie. “So stupid.”

Zuki sighed impatiently. “Seriously, you are taking our time, Valerie. Maybe you’d better not perform in our next performance. You are such a shame to us. There are still rumors going around, talking about your alien-like eyes.”

“Stop criticizing my eyes!” the girl finally can’t hold it anymore. After releasing loud breath, she turned away and left the spot without looking back. Her Eevee noticed the sudden change of aura around its owner. Despite that, it still followed Valerie.

“Remember, Valerie, being stubborn can take you to real problems.”

Valerie pretended she didn’t hear, she just walked quickly from the spot.

* * *

 

At her room, Valerie shed tears as she stroke her Eevee’s newly-changed fur. “I will prove to them that you are different than theirs.” She said. The Eevee only snuggled at her, understanding its owner’s feelings.

“I’m gonna go to the strongest gym leaders in Johto, considering you are prepared enough.” Valerie told her Pokémon with a smile plastered on her face. Vui let out its characteristic cry which it did before, and Valerie has grown used to it. The girl has started to forget her Pokémon’s old voice.

Valerie went out at night, when the other Kimono Girls are already asleep. She made her way to the Blackthorn City using the Pidgeot which is a Pokémon the Kimono Girls use as transportation when they are going to another city.

Valerie used different clothes instead of her usual kimono. She used red and black clothes which a boy from Hoenn, named Ruby, knitted for her. So this was the story; a boy came to Johto to see the very famous Kimono Girls. Although he won the Master Rank Contest in Hoenn, in Johto he is just another trainer. So nobody really knows him, probably just a few people who pays full attention to Pokémon Contests do.

While Valerie is also a person who likes knitting, designing, clothes, and such things related to that, meeting Ruby is like ‘I finally found my soulmate’. None of her sisters has such interest in those things, so she really appreciated the boy’s presence.

Ruby and Valerie hit it off when they had a conversation which started when Ruby asked about the Kimono Girls. Valerie asked why he had come from afar just to see her sisters, and he said he is a big fan of fashion and culture and surely wants to see things like that.

Valerie stated that she shares the same interest, and they talked for a really long time – just about fashion. Despite the age gap, they felt like talking to a person with the same age.

When Valerie said she made some ‘not really good’ designs, Ruby demanded to see and screamed in shock when he saw it. He said those were really good and Ruby promised to knit her one. So here was the clothes, which Valerie has on.

Valerie has put Vui into its Pokéball, deciding it should take a rest for a moment. Valerie stroke Pidgeot’s fur as she says, “The Blackthorn City, please.”

The Pidgeot spreaded its wings, preparing itself to soar to the sky. Valerie is already on her position when the Pidgeot flies off to the Blackthorn City.


	2. Blackthorn Accident

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yea, Clair. Ikr. Clair is kinda annoying in my perspective since she is a dragon trainer after all, but idk what you guys think? Critics and helps will be very useful ^ ^
> 
> (oh and by the way, this chapter actually will be easier to understand, especially Lance and huge blob soon, if you have already read Pokemon Adventures Manga. In one of the arcs, there will be a scene where he is floating in a huge blob with his majestic Dragonairs.

Valerie has always liked the sensation of flying. It feels like she is free from all problems she has. Especially if she flies at midnight. Johto is truly beautiful at night with lots of lamps or light sourcing from Pokémons. When she arrived at the Blackthorn City, sun hasn't even greeted the world yet. The lights of the houses were still shining beautifully – including the gym, which stands out the most.

          Valerie has heard that the gym leader of Blackthorn City likes to go training to the Dragon Den, which is positioned behind the Blackthorn Gym. And in order to go to the cave, she is required to have a Pokémon that knows Surf. She certainly doesn't, since the Kimono Girls only have Eeveelutions. But with her skillful Pidgeot, she know she can go to the Dragon’s Den by flying over the water.

 But that's what she heard though.

          To her surprise, she came into a small, narrow cave which is dark with only a stair in her sight, leading her down to probably another floor. Valerie immediately became unsure, because she has never heard of this floor. She almost gave up, until when she looked at her Pokéball, her Vui stared back at her hopefully – as if supporting her.

          “Pidgeot, go back.” Valerie commanded, and her Pokémon went back into its Pokéball. She held the two of the Pokéballs as she went to the stair and climbed down to the second floor.

          Apparently what she saw before was just an illusion. The real Dragon’s Den can be encountered after climbing down the stairs, and it’s real huge. The narrow cave presumably was just a welcoming for her.

          The second floor would've been so dark if there were no lights coming from the Dragon Shrine, standing strongly at the center of the lake inside.

          Valerie watched around and found some trainers watching her carefully, in case she is about to make some trouble. She also saw a whirlpool. She only has her Vui and Pidgeot, she doesn't have any Pokémon that knows Whirlpool.

 _Nevermind that_ , Valerie thought,  _my Pidgeot is enough_. Valerie let out her Pidgeot and it bent its body immediately. Valerie jumped to her back, and in a second, her Pidgeot is already flying towards the Shrine. Valerie heard some gasps of disbelief and protests. She doesn’t care. She has to go to the Shrine.

          Her Pidgeot landed safely on the Shrine, and Valerie jumped from it. She caressed the back of it before it went back to its Pokéballs.  

          But as she was going to enter the Shrine, she found herself being pulled backwards and knocked to the stairs. Her head hit the wooden hard and she was seeing stars. She was out of breath, and her long hair was tangled. A huge shock was sent down her spine when she rolled and accidentally fell into the water.

          She is drowning. She knows that, and she hates the sensation. “H-help –” she tried to make out words when she is able to get to the surface. But more water are getting into her nose, and her head is still aching after the painful knock.  

          Just when she thought she is going to be dead really soon, somebody pulled her and put her at the wooden stairs. She coughed out water. After considering herself well enough, she opened her eyes which have to adjust to the light before finally able to see normally.

          A person was standing before her – no, more like floating. And then, Valerie realized it was a man with a cape, and he is not floating – he is standing on two Dragonairs, in a huge blob. The man has such piercing eyes, that Valerie couldn’t stand looking at.

          “Who had let you in, intruder?” he asked loudly. His voice was full of warning, as if he wouldn’t hesitate to kick Valerie back to the water.

          Valerie was too speechless, until the move of her Pokéball was the one which snapped her back to reality. “I-I am going to meet the gym leader, Clair. And I suppose she is in the–”

          “Fool!” the man said. “And who had let you in the Dragon’s Den, anyway? Do you have the Rising Badge? Oh, yeah, I forgot that Clair just removed the usual old man.”

          “U-usual old man?” Valerie really can’t focus on anything.

          “That old man who guards the cave. I can even retell you his daily words. ‘No, only chosen trainers may train here.’. He says that a lot, to trainers that even have insisted to get in.” the man flashed a scary smile. “And now, while he was removed for a moment, you came. You really know the right time to be intruder, don’t you?”

          “B-but I –”

          “Lance, stop it. Why don’t we ask her first?”

          The man grumbled. Valerie looked around to find the source of the female voice, which spoke just now. “Who was that?” she asked unintentionally, immediately regretting the question.

          The man sent Valerie another piercing look. “See it for yourself.” He said. And then, a hand patted Valerie’s back, shocking her.

          Apparently it’s the gym leader which Valerie was going to meet. Her expression is flat, deadpan, almost expressionless. “So you are here to challenge me into a gym battle?” she asked.

          Valerie nodded. “Y-yes. I wasn’t being an intruder, I don’t know that I can’t enter this cave if I don’t have the Rising Badge.” She said.

          The blue haired woman, Clair, didn’t immediately answer. After a moment, a smile appeared on her face and she stared at the man, whom she called Lance,  before returning the look at Valerie.

          “What about having the battle here?”

          “What?” Lance’s eyes were wide, he was taken aback. “You're taking this girl seriously?”

          Clair smiled. “I’m sure she is going to lose quickly. Come, girl, you have your aerial Pokémon, don’t you?” she asked. “My Dragonite is gonna have me on air as well. Then, it's gonna be an equal aerial battle. Come on, let out your Pokémon!”

          Valerie let out her Pidgeot, and then jumped onto its back. She let her Vui out too, which immediately let out its characteristic cry as a protest. Apparently she was sleeping.  _How could she sleep while the owner was in true danger?_

          Clair laughed out loud. “What kind of Pokémon is that?! Have never seen that in my whole life! Is it a mutant Pokémon?” the woman questioned exactly the same thing as Valerie’s sister did.

          The girl stayed calm. Somehow, the incident of her drowning warned her that the Dragon-type user siblings are dangerous.

          Clair let out a Dragonair, which somehow floated – as if it defies gravity. “Dragonair, Dragon Pulse!” Clair commanded, and the Pokémon opened it’s mouth to deliver the powerful attack.

          Just when Valerie was going to command her Vui, it straightened up and emitted weird flash, which hurts her eyes. “Gleam.. gleam.. Dazzling Gleam..” she said as the words came to her mind. It’s kind of weird. Her Pokémon seemed to know its own moveset, and send the name through her mind.

          As the Dazzling Gleam hit the Dragonair, it stopped floating and fell to the water. It was a one-hit KO. Valerie also didn’t expect the move to be so powerful that it could knock out a Dragonair immediately.

          Clair and Lance stood in shock, mouth agape in incredulity. “W-what move did you deliver just now?” Clair asked in shock. And then, her expression changed immediately. “I won’t let you win!”

          She let out another Dragonair, and when it went out, it also floats. A weird fact of Clair’s Pokémon. “Dragonair!” she only shouted the name, and then the Pokémon vanished.

          “Vui!” Valerie stared at her Pokémon, and it sent another Dazzling Gleam. Valerie heard another splash, and she cocked her head to see the water below Pidgeot. Another Dragonair was already there, making it two. Apparently, the second Dragonair moved so quickly that it seemed as if it vanished, and it intended to attack Pidgeot from below – so not only Pidgeot that lost its balance, her Vui would also fall to the lake.

          Clair was shocked again. “How could you..?!” the leader gritted her teeth. “You think I’m that easy? Once I was in corner, I get stronger unexpectedly!”

          She let out her last Dragonair, which sent an intimidating look at Valerie’s Vui. The Pokémon didn’t seem to be affected. Instead it jumped happily, as if she is enjoying her very first battle.

          “Dragonair!!” Clair shouted again, with a more demanding tone than she used for her second Dragonair before. The Dragonair also vanished this time, but the Pokémon was awfully faster than the second.

          Without Valerie seeing it, the Dragonair knocked her Vui to the lake below. “VUI!!!” Valerie shrieked in shock. The Pokémon cried in surprise, and the cry was cut off by the loud splash caused by the Pokémon.

          When Valerie stared at the lake, she realized that the two defeated Dragonairs weren’t there. She was confused. “Where had…?” she asked herself, and couldn't say a thing until she found the Dragonairs resurfacing. What shocked her more was that on both of the Dragonairs, stood her Vui.

          “I.. I can’t believe it!”

          And then Vui remembered the informations she had memorized on purpose before going to Blackthorn City. One Dragonair weighs 16,5 kg, and combined, they will weigh 33 kg. Her Vui is around 23,5 kg, as she has checked, so her Vui would be able to stand on them. Her Vui is just smart.

          And then, Vui released again the gleam, which immediately knocked Clair’s last Dragonair. The gym leader’s face was red. “You didn’t just..”

          “I can’t believe it.” A comment came from the Lance guy. Valerie only stared at the both of them, still unaware of her victory. She thought she still have to beat the Dragonite which Clair rides.

          “You.. you’re cheating, aren’t you?” Clair asked, her voice making it obvious that she is very angry and still incapable to accept the truth. “Your mutant Pokémon only omitted an eye-blinding flash that my Pokémon couldn’t take it and fall to the lake, so they got knocked out! You are cheating, aren’t you? Say the truth!”

          Valerie was surprised. She didn’t expect to be accused like this. “My Eevee –”

          “Oh, so it was an Eevee? The evolution Pokémon? That explains it! That’s why I had the feeling your Pokémon kind of looked like Eevee. Ahaha, it was a mutant Eevee, wasn’t it?” Clair laughed out loud like a crazy person. As she regained herself, she pointed at Valerie. “You can’t stay in Johto. We don’t accept a person like you. Get out.”

          “W-what?” Valerie was speechless. All this thing are making her head spin around. She only knocked Clair’s Dragonairs, and she found herself accused for being a cheater now? It’s really unacceptable.

          “Go away. You are forcefully expelled from Johto.”

          “But I –!”

          “Let me take care of this, Clair.” Lance told the angry female, then he pulled Valerie into the big blob where he stood with his two Dragonairs. Valerie almost fall backward to the man if she didn’t balance herself. She doesn’t want Clair’s last opinion of her to be a girl who tries to take chances at small moments.

          “My Pokémon!” Valerie's voice was hoarse. She tried to prick the blob but nothing happened. “Seriously, what is up with this?!”

          “I’ll only let you bring your mutant Eevee.” Lance spoke coldly. And then all of sudden, after he raised his hand, the blob got perforated and Valerie fell forward. She wasn’t prepared and if her Pidgeot didn’t fly to the spot immediately to catch her, she would’ve fallen to the lake again. She felt as if she is being played here, like a doll.

          “Vui, return.” Valerie commanded. And then, when she was about to get back to the blob, she screamed, “Pidgeot, return!”

          And when the Pokémon went back inside its ball, Valerie jumped to the big blob so she didn’t fall to the lake. Lance stared at her in incredulity.

          “Huh.. whatever. Bring that Pokémon too. I don’t really care whatever you are doing. I have to have you exiled immediately, anyway.” He said.


	3. The Abandon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so late to update.... ;-; I can remember how hard it was to write this chapter, that I even opened the map of Valerie's town/city (kind of forgot lol). If you want to understand this chapter better, you may open http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/7/79/Laverre_City_XY.png 
> 
> Please enjoy!

Lance brought Valerie to a place so far from Johto, that she didn’t manage to remember the way they went through. “Where are we going?” Valerie asked the man curiously.

          “Why should I ask you? Fool.” Lance retorted. The man glanced sideways at Valerie with disgusted face. “Clair had caught some trainers cheating before. Most of them got exiled, expelled, or anything that can make him feel regretful of what he had done. But in your case, you really knocked out her mighty Dragonairs just by one hit that was delivered by your mutant Eevee.”

          “I’ve told you that it’s not a mutant Eevee!” Valerie protested, pissed off. 

          “Whatever.” Lance replied disinterestedly.

          And then, silence engulfed the two figures. Despite that, Valerie is glad so that she can have some time to think. As everything that had happened after her Eevee evolved started to play again in her mind, she studied Lance.

          The guy is actually fine looking. He has well-built body, a good-looking face and the serious look that can attract many kinds of girls. Besides, he is also a dragon-type user. As Valerie has heard, dragon-type Pokémon is not an easy Pokémon to handle. And if he and his sister can handle the type easily like a Dragon Tamer, then it’s one of their individual values.

          “What are you staring at me for?”

          Valerie gulped, and then looked away. “Nothing.”

          Lance didn't answer, and then the terror began. The blob got perforated, but this time it positioned below Valerie. The girl screamed in horror as she felt everything she had eaten went to her throat. She can see the blob getting smaller as she got further from it.

          Her eyes widened when she saw her Pokéballs above her, falling off the blob as well. She had thought Lance took the balls and left her dying.

          But she hadn’t seen the place where she will be falling. Half-heartedly, she looked down, and she can feel the things in her stomach has made its way out of the throat. She’s gonna puke.

          Two ponds with a bridge at the center of it seemed to wait for her, as if prepared to welcome her. The girl is horrified already. She fell from about 20 meter high, and she is going to fall into a shallow pond? She is gonna crash. “At least, don’t let me die now.”

          And as the girl hit the tree, she passed out.

***

“I heard there is a beautiful scarred girl which fell to the pond behind the Pokémon Center!”

          “How could she fall there?”

          “I wanna see!”

          “Let’s go there!”

          Everything was so blurry when Valerie’s eyes were halfly opened. Her head is still hurting, and she can feel her clothes soaked. She felt really wet in and out.

          When Valerie finally regained her consciousness, she found herself being in a pond. When she looked at herself, she is a huge mess. Her long hair is messy and all around herself, and her clothes are really wet and soaked. Lucky thing Ruby made it with the color of red and dark colours, so it didn’t really trace her body.

          Valerie noticed the stares at her, and when she looked up, she was surprised to see a huge amount of people surrounding here. “W-what’s happening?” she asked in surprise.

          “Who are you?” a girl with blonde hair walked to her, and then held out a hand. “You are sick, aren’t you? Let’s go. We will give you treatment.”

          Valerie was too speechless. She only can take the hand, and then went with the blonde girl. The crowd are still looking at her curiously. She can hear faint questions asked by some people to the others. But the girl shook her head and try to just focus on the girl.

***

“What’s your name?”

          Valerie’s head turned sideways and stared at the girl in surprise. “Y-you really are talking to me?” she asked.

          The girl raised her eyebrow. “Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

          Valerie sighed in relief. At least there are still good people. She thought after being exiled from Johto, nobody would talk to her anymore. But.. she doesn’t even know where is this.

          “Uh.. my name is Valerie.” The Johto-born female said. When she looked up at the blonde girl, she understood that the girl is waiting for more from her. “Oh, okay.. so.. I am the last kid of the Kimono Girls, and –”

          “No way! You’re one of them?!” the girl stared at Valerie in surprise. “They are very famous, you know? Or maybe it’s because I like fashion and every cute things.”

          Valerie smiled. “They are not cute. But they are pretty, I’m sure. Well, the reason I’m not as famous as them is because I don’t perform much. We start dancing at the age of 9, and I am now 15. You might be asking why. It’s because I really like to skip practice and play with my Eevee, or making new designs.”

          “Wow! Can I see your designs?!” the blonde haired girl asked. “Oh yeah, I forgot. How can you be bringing your book when I even found you at the pond.”

          Valerie laughed. This was the first time after a very long time. “Yeah. But I can design one though. Do you want to see?”

          “Sure, sure!” the blondie said. “Oh, hahaha.. I didn’t even remember to introduce myself. My name is Katherine. I also have a lot of friends who like fashion like you. I will introduce them to you later.”

          Valerie smiled, a genuine one – not the fake ones that she used to have when performing. “Thank you, Katherine.”

          Katherine left the room where Valerie rests for a moment, and then came back with a sketchbook and a pencil. “As you draw, can you tell me your story? I’m very looking forward to it.”

          And so, as Valerie draws the new design that came to her mind, she tells Katherine about her journey so far.


End file.
